Aston Villa backed to finish above Newcastle United as £500 Premier League bet placed the two iconic clubs
The two iconic clubs are back in European action in the new season
HAVE ASTON VILLA MADE A MISTAKE IN SIGNIG YOURI TIELEMANS? NEWCASTLE UNITED HAVEN’T MISSED OUT
Newcastle United and Aston Villa both enjoyed a seismic resurgence in last season’s Premier League and one pundit has created his own little bit of rivalry between two of English football’s grandest institutions.
Eddie Howe’s Toon reached the Carabao Cup final and then finished fourth in the top flight to secure a place in the Champions League, while the Villa Park outfit eased away from relegation danger following the inspired appointment of Unai Emery to qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Given the financial backing both clubs are likely to receive over the summer to ensure they have squads with the quality and depth to cope with European action, it looks set like being a fascinating battle when the new season kicks off in early August, particularly given they meet in front of the television cameras on the opening weekend at St James’ Park.
READ
Radio presenter Alex Crook has had something of a friendly bet with fellow talkSPORT presenter Jim White about who will finish the season higher in the table, suggesting it will in fact be the Midlands’ outfit.
“I’ve got 500 reasons to hope Aston Villa finish above Newcastle,” Crook told talkSPORT. “That’s no disrespect to Newcastle, they were one of the success stories of last season. I think if you look at the two squads on paper, as we speak here now, it’s a flip of a coin between them, man to man.
“Unai Emery, I think he’s a better manager than Arsenal fans will want to admit to, and I’m told Aston Villa will go big. Newcastle at the moment, suggestions are they won’t.
“There’s a bit of a method behind the man, you look at the odds at the bookmakers, Newcastle are going to finish streets ahead of Aston Villa. And I’ll be £500 down to the charity of Jim White’s choice.”